


Today Your Barista Is: Hella Gay

by magicsophicorn



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-08
Updated: 2015-10-08
Packaged: 2018-04-25 10:58:35
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,586
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4957783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicsophicorn/pseuds/magicsophicorn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sign appears in Granny's that says "Today your barista is: 1. Hella gay, and 2. Desperately single."</p><p>Regina is not too sure how to react.</p><p>Written for Red Queen Week Day 4 - Fluff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Today Your Barista Is: Hella Gay

Regina was a creature of habit. Which probably had more to do with living under a curse which had frozen time for 28 years rather than any natural tendency. But even though the curse was long broken, there were some habits that Regina just wasn’t quite able to give up. Her daily coffee routine being one of them.

Every morning at precisely 8am she would go to Granny’s, order her coffee, and then sit at the table by the window to drink it whilst reading the newspaper. She used to sit at the counter, but had ceased to do so after the Owen incident. It was just too painful. Without fail every morning Ruby would come over to her table to offer a refill, often while her cup was still half full, and they would engage in small talk. During the curse Ruby’s outfits were significantly more revealing than the ones she wore these days. Regina would never say it out loud but sometimes she missed Ruby’s curse outfits, the woman was gorgeous, after all. She was, however, infinitely pleased that when the curse had ended, their morning chats had not. Sure they never talked about anything big or important, but Regina felt like she had been slowly getting to know Ruby through them, and she hoped that Ruby could say the same about her.

It was therefore not surprising that the moment Regina entered the diner that morning her eyes instantly zeroed in on the one thing that was different that day.

On the counter was a small standalone blackboard, the kind often used to display desert menus at restaurants. This one however did not have a menu on it, but instead a little chalk stick figure with a short skirt, that Regina could only assume was supposed to be Ruby (it certainly didn’t resemble Granny… she hoped) along with the words:

“Today your barista is:  
1\. Hella gay  
2\. Desperately single

For your drink today I recommend:  
You give me your number”

Regina stopped in the middle of the room, blinking in surprise. Despite all their morning chats she had never realised that Ruby was gay. During the curse there had been plenty of rumours about her sleeping around half the men in town, but apparently they had only been just that, rumours.

As she placed her usual coffee order Regina felt her stomach flip-flop in a way it never had before. She’d never for a moment considered Ruby anything other than a friend, despite how attractive she’d always found her. But now that she knew that Ruby was gay her mind was suddenly filled with visions of dates and kisses and more.

Regina took her seat and immediately fluffed out her newspaper, holding it in front of her face in an attempt to hide how flustered she was feeling. She needed to calm down. Just because Ruby was gay it did not mean she would be interested in Regina at all, so she needed to nip these fantasies in the bud right now, before she ended up embarrassing herself or getting hurt.

“Good morning Regina.”

Ruby’s voice interrupted her thoughts and she tried very hard to squash the smile that had instantly appeared on her face at the sound.

“Here’s your coffee. Busy day today?”

Regina lowered her paper and attempted to appear natural.

“Thank you. No, not particularly so. I should finish work early this afternoon which will make a nice change. How about yourself? I assume you now have a plethora of dates lined up thanks to your little sign?”

She inwardly rolled her eyes at herself. Of course she had to go and bring that up, so much for acting natural.

Ruby chuckled.

“Unfortunately no, I have yet to receive a single number. But hey, it’s only 8am right?”

“Indeed.”

Regina could feel a twinge of jealousy at the thought of someone giving Ruby their number. Which was ridiculous. They were friends. Nothing more. Regina shook her head and Ruby wandered away to wait on other tables as the morning rush began.

Regina tried to read her paper, she really did, but she only managed a few lines before her mind was wandering off to daydream about taking Ruby on a date.

“Refill?”

Regina jumped at the sudden voice by her side. If she didn’t know any better she’d swear that Ruby was psychic.

“Please,” she said absentmindedly. Ruby didn’t comment on the fact that her cup was still half full.

“What time do you finish work today?” Regina blurted out, horrified at herself even as she did so.

“Three. Why?”

Ruby was looking at her curiously, one eyebrow raised and a small smile on her face. She really was beautiful. It was no good, Regina decided, she’d started so she had to finish. At least she’d know once and for all and could stop herself daydreaming.

“Perhaps, if you don’t get any better offers over the course of the day, you would like to go out to dinner with me tonight? On a date?”

Her past self, so used to seducing anyone and everyone, would have laughed in her face at that pathetically nervous proposition. She didn’t care though. She wasn’t that person anymore, and that was not how she wanted to treat someone she cared about.

Ruby’s smile was radiant as she replied.

“I’d love to.”

\--------------------

All it took was Ruby saying ‘hello’ to relax her.

She had been a bundle of nerves all day in anticipation of their date that evening. It had been so long since she had ever been truly interested in someone, she didn’t want to ruin things or lose their burgeoning friendship. It hadn’t helped that when she’d dropped Henry off at Emma’s she had made all kinds of inappropriate comments about her outfit – a tight black dress she’d bought the week before. She’d almost gone home and changed but then Emma had apparently taken pity on her and said (in the same tone of voice as promises of happy endings) “You look lovely, Regina. Have a great evening, you deserve this.”

When she arrived at the restaurant she found that Ruby was wearing a deep red figure hugging dress, and Regina was struggling to keep her thoughts appropriate at the sight of it.

As the waiter cleared their plates away after the meal Ruby leaned over the table and brushed her fingertips over the back of Regina’s hand. Regina lifted her fingers and interlaced them with Ruby’s.

“You know, you were the only person I had in mind when I made that sign this morning,” Ruby said, looking up at Regina shyly, “I took it down as soon as you left.”

Regina felt warmth spread through her chest.

“Is that so? Well I almost didn’t do anything about it, so I’d suggest being a little more direct in future.”

Ruby chuckled.

“Point taken. Why don’t I start now then? I really want to kiss you.”

The low tone and hitch in Ruby’s breathing had Regina swallowing in anticipation.

“Perhaps when there’s not a table in the way…” Regina could only whisper.

“I’ll hold you to that.” Ruby winked.

\---------------------

Regina felt the butterflies return to her stomach in full force as they walked up the path to her front door.

She made no move to retrieve her keys when they reached it, instead turning to face Ruby.

“I had a really nice time tonight,” she said, her voice coming out much softer than she was used to.

“Me too,” Ruby replied, stepping towards her until they were mere centimetres apart. “Now, about that kiss…”

Regina was smiling at the comment as Ruby’s lips met hers. The kiss was soft and sweet, chaste even, and Regina found herself sighing as Ruby pulled away. She didn’t get far as Regina leaned forward and captured her lips once more. The second kiss soon turned more heated, both women pressing their bodies together, trying to get as close as possible.

Eventually Ruby pulled away, her hands still tangled in Regina’s hair.

“I should go home now,” she whispered breathlessly, “otherwise I’ll never be able to.”

Regina opened her mouth, the invitation to stay on the tip of her tongue, but then the nerves and fear overtook her and she found herself unable to get it out.

Ruby let go of her and stepped back.

“I’d like to see you again,” Ruby said, then added, “outside of the diner, I mean.”

Regina smiled, letting go of the nerves once more.

“I’d like that too. Are you free on Wednesday?”

“Absolutely. It’s a date.”

Ruby leaned forward once more and kissed Regina softly on the cheek.

“Goodnight Regina.”

She bounded down the steps and along the path, glancing back when she reached the gate and smiling when she saw Regina still stood there watching her. With one last little wave she was gone, but it took Regina a few moments longer to begin to look for her keys.

She let herself into the house with a satisfied little sigh. Shutting the door behind her she leaned against it for a moment. The evening had been perfect. Regina unconsciously raised a hand to her mouth and brushed her fingertips over her lips as she replayed their kiss in her mind.

She had been on a date. A date with someone she cared about, who cared about her. And she had another one in a few days’ time.

Suddenly the possibility of a happy ending didn’t seem so farfetched after all.


End file.
